§ Mr. AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases of benefit fraud were identified by post offices and sub-post offices each year since 1990; in how many of these cases a compensation payment has been made to post offices as a reward for reducing fraud; and if he will make a statement. [109480]
§ Mr. RookerThe Benefits Agency does not maintain records on the number of cases of benefit fraud identified by post offices and sub-post offices since 1990. However, aggregated statistics on applications, payments and rejections since the introduction of the Post Office Rewards Scheme are detailed in the table. These figures do not include instances of fraud prevention by post office staff in compliance with their normal contractual obligations.
Post Office staff are required to make contractually agreed security checks before the encashment of order books and girocheques. One of the initiatives to combat fraud at the point of encashment is the Post Office Reward Scheme, which offers financial incentives to Post Office staff who impound instruments of payment beyond their contractual requirement. This scheme was introduced nationally in October 1995. Post Office staff can be paid a reward of £10.00 (£25.00 in exceptional cases).
§ Mr. RookerWe have no plans to increase the 25 pence age addition on the basic state pension to those over aged 80 or over. Our priority has been to help the poorest pensioners and to help all pensioner households with the fuel bills that are most difficult to pay.
We have recently announced that in addition to raising the state pension we are increasing the Minimum Income Guarantee for pensioners in line with earnings. With Winter Fuel Payments, changes to VAT on fuel, the Minimum Income Guarantee and introducing free TV licences, the oldest, poorest pensioners will gain over £500 a year.